Neil Lennon returned to Parkhead and came within 11 minutes of smashing Celtic ’s unbeaten record in an afternoon of incredible drama.

The Hibs boss watched his side recover from going a goal down to a Callum McGregor strike to take the lead with two superb efforts from man of the match John McGinn - only for McGregor to grab his second of the game to stretch the Hoops run to 58 domestic matches without defeat.

There was no lack of early ambition from Hibs and as early as the second minute Anthony Stokes won a foul on the edge of the box, James Forrest the culprit, and forced Craig Gordon to tip his effort over the bar.

Lennon , as expected, was given a hero’s welcome and a warm embrace from Brendan Rodgers but it was clear that his team had not come to make up the numbers.

Brendan Rodgers and Neil Lennon (Image: PA)

Callum McGregor celebrates his second goal (Image: SNS Group)

This, the first meeting between the clubs since January 2014, was competitive all right and Celtic - without Scott Brown , Jozo Simunovic, Stuart Armstrong, Scott Sinclair, Patrick Roberts and Leigh Griffiths - didn’t come out of the traps flying.

Rodgers went for a back three of Mikael Lustig, Dedryck Boyata and Kieran Tierney, with Forrest and Jonny Hayes in the wing-back roles but Lennon would have been the happier manager in the first 10 minutes.

And yet for all their early enterprise and positive intent, Hibs found themselves behind in the 16th minute after Celtic’s first really incisive attack of the afternoon.

It came from the deadly left boot of Callum McGregor, who yet again showed his composure in front of goal in taking a pass from Moussa Dembele in his stride and striking it early and low from 16 yards past Ross Laidlaw almost before the keeper could react.

Callum McGregor scores the opener ... (Image: SNS Group)

... and celebrates

The goal opened the release valve on Celtic and they poured forward in search of a second. Tom Rogic twice came close, but Hibs stayed in the game.

And they had a sniff of a leveller in the 34th minute when Martin Boyle was sent clear by a long ball but blazed well over, under pressure from Boyata who’d done well to get back at him.

Minutes earlier, Willie Collum, who had earlier booked James Forrest for diving had a decision to make when the winger went over Steven Whittaker’s leg for what looked like a foul, but having given nothing, he decided that this one wasn’t a dive either and Forrest stayed on the pitch.

A lightning break from Hayes to lay a chance on for Odsonne Eduard should have led to the second goal but Laidlaw raced from his line to make a good block with his left foot.

Eduard didn’t reappear for the second half, but the sight of Sinclair in his place wouldn’t have made Lennon feel any better.

The switch signalled a change in formation, with Hayes moving to left back in a flat back four for the champions.

Sinclair was immediately involving in a scintillating one-two with Dembele that led to Laidlaw saving the sub’s shot and Lewis Stevenson getting back to hack the ball off the line.

John McGinn makes it 1-1 (Image: Getty Images Europe)

and whoops it up (Image: SNS Group)

And yet, it was the Edinburgh outfit who produced the next moment of magic to haul themselves level in the 54th minute. A period of pressure saw them camped on the Celtic 18 yard line and when Marvin Barkley shuttled a short pass to John McGinn, the midfielder’s low shot blurred past Gordon into the bottom corner.

Lennon had said we wouldn’t celebrate - but he did. There were two or three fistpumps but nothing over the top. His side deserved to be level.

Craig Gordon pulls off save from Steven Whittaker (Image: SNS Group)

Rodgers threw Griffiths on for Dembele on the hour mark but it took a sensational save from Gordon to deny Steven Whittaker in the 64th minute, the keeper diving to prevent the former Rangers player scoring from point- blank range after Stokes had flicked a McGinn corner to the back post.

But Gordon was beaten again by McGinn with 14 minutes left and although it was a terrific strike from almost 25 yards, the keeper should have done better as it flew in at the middle of the goal.

Lennon applauded that one more vigorously - his team were in front and Celtic’s unbeaten run under serious threat...for all of two minutes before McGregor pounced on a Boyata knock down to calmly slot the equaliser.

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And Celtic could have had a late penalty when Efe Ambrose appeared to tug back Sinclair inside the box. The referee waved play on and Hibs survived. Nobody could argue they deserved their point.

3 talking points

Sensational McGinn

If this was an audition for the Scott Brown position in Scotland’s team on Thursday, McGinn passed with flying colours. The Hibs midfielder was superb from the very first minute and his goals were no more than he deserved for a sensational show.

Call him up, Gord!

McGregor yet again showed that he is more than capable of playing for Scotland, despite Gordon Strachan’s refusal to give him an opportunity. From middle to front, he was excellent and his first goal was textbook timing and composure. The second was taken brilliantly under extreme pressure to deliver.

Hallmark of champions

Celtic made lots of changes and were nowhere near their best, yet they found something from somewhere when the chips were down to preserve their unbeaten run. It was the hallmark of champions.